About our Lithium news
Latest news on lithium, covering the lithium price, lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide markets, spodumene and brine mining, lithium supply and demand, lithium stocks, lithium-ion and EV battery materials, battery metals, critical minerals policy, the lithium triangle of Chile, Argentina and Bolivia, and producers such as Albemarle, SQM, PLS Group, Pilbara Minerals, Liontown, Rio Tinto, Ganfeng and Tianqi.
Lithium is the lightest metal and the key ingredient in lithium-ion batteries, which power electric vehicles, grid storage and consumer electronics. That has made it one of the best-known battery metals and a critical mineral for governments and manufacturers. It is traded mainly as lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide, alongside spodumene concentrate from hard-rock mines.
Price and market news is the heart of lithium coverage. Prices have swung sharply between boom and bust as new mines open, producers cut output and battery demand shifts. Analysts watch EV sales, energy storage growth, stockpiles and Chinese demand, while rival chemistries such as sodium-ion batteries are followed as a possible check on future demand.
Supply comes from two main sources: hard-rock spodumene, mined mostly in Australia, and brine pumped from salt flats in Chile and Argentina, with China the leading processing hub. Producers and developers in the news include Albemarle, SQM, PLS Group (formerly Pilbara Minerals), Liontown, Ganfeng, Tianqi and Rio Tinto, which completed its acquisition of Arcadium Lithium in 2025. New projects in North America, Europe, Africa and Brazil, along with export controls and national lithium strategies, are reshaping the supply chain.
Lithium mining is not without controversy. Brine extraction uses large amounts of water in arid regions, and Indigenous communities in the Atacama and elsewhere have challenged projects over water rights and consultation. Hard-rock mining raises questions about chemicals, land use and local consent, while recycling and cleaner extraction are growing areas of investment. Supporters argue that responsibly sourced lithium is essential to cut emissions from transport and power.
Lithium was discovered in 1817 by the Swedish chemist Johan August Arfwedson, who found it in the mineral petalite, and its name comes from the Greek word for stone. Its modern importance grew from battery research in the 1970s and 1980s, which led to the first commercial lithium-ion battery in 1991 and the 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for John Goodenough, Stanley Whittingham and Akira Yoshino.
Our NewsNow lithium feed brings together the latest headlines on lithium prices, mining, supply deals, producers, lithium stocks, battery metals and critical minerals policy from reliable sources. Whether you follow the commodity as an investor, an industry professional or a curious reader, it is a single place to stay up to date with lithium news.
